re: Christian soldiers
Liberals have no problem accepting the idea that a Christian can be religious and still not believe the world was created in six days. Why is the idea that a Christian can go to war any more of a problem?
Jesus was crucified, and out of all the apostles, I believe only one died a natural death. If Constantine and Theodosius--neither of them noted pacifists--had not embraced the religion, who knows where it would be today.
New Testament or not, all else being equal, God still fights on the side of the heaviest artillery.
There are plenty of theological references on this issue if you really want an answer, and aren't just poking beehives.